Last week I gave you a little lesson on Dom Perignon courtesy of NASA president and US Brand Ambassador Diego Meraviglia. Today I’m sharing…what we tasted.
From NASA
AS A TOAST TO THE ENDING 2017 VINTAGE, JOIN US FOR AN IN DEPTH GUIDED TASTING & SEMINAR ON DOM PERIGNON’s NEW VINTAGES AND OLDER RESERVE GEMS, STILL AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET. THE PRESENTATION & TASTING WILL INCLUDE RARITIES RARELY PULLED…(including the) ‘PLENITUDES’:
Dom Pérignon Blanc vintage 2009, Dom Pérignon Rose’ Vintage 2005, Dom Pérignon P2 vintage 2000, Dom Pérignon Rose’ P2 vintage 1995, + a surprise old vintage…
TASTING PRESENTED AND LED BY DOM PERIGNON US BRAND AMBASSADOR & NASA PRESIDENT, DIEGO MERAVIGLIA.
MY TASTING TAKEAWAYS (all quotes – except where I’ve mentioned Wine Spectator – are Diego’s)
P2 stands for Plentitudes and, according to Wine Spectator’s most recent tasting report on Champagne, “highlights the evolution of the house’s Champagnes after extended maturation on the lees.”
We tasted blind as the “bias is consistent” and you can never get a “complete objective” on how the wine tastes – I agree.
We tasted “the rare of the rare of the rare.”
The P1 Blanc revealed was a 2009 and described as a “voluptuous” wine with “minerality, curry, magnolia, brine, chalk, salt, toast, almonds, pineapple, mango, licorice” and a “mouthfeel” that is the hallmark of Dom Perignon.
The next wine, a 2005 P1 Rose, “was just released and could go another 40 years”…“emulates a red wine…with more weight (indicative) of a warm and wet vintage.” I got the notes of dried cherry and stem on this as I would on a Pinot Noir. It’s even possible that I would have thought it was a Pinot if the glass itself was hidden.
The third wine to taste, a Blanc P2 turned out to be the just released 2000. The extra years on the lees gives the wine “more pairing options” with notes of “forest floor, Brie, brine, spice, licorice, anise…(and would pair well with) “soft cheese and white meat like veal and pheasant.”
Our fourth wine was a 1996 P2 Rose with more strawberry color that could pair well with “beef, steak, duck…fruit tarts (and other) pastry (for its) fresh Burgundian flavors. This may have been my favorite and I joined the other somms and retailers in the room and drained my glass.
Our final wine, a surprise for all, turned out to be a 1995 P3 Blanc vintage that was released in 2015 that I found the color had honeyed with age, with notes of almond, fruit cocktail, pears in syrup as well as “toffee and mocha.” Had to agree that this wine was extremely vibrant and a pleasure to taste. As they all were.
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com